Mazu Fortune Stick No. 17 · Zhong Fu Hexagram
求名從此是亨衢，求利剛逢是利區，但許一心求一事，不容兩念並馳驅。 Seeking fame, you are on the open highway; seeking profit, you have come to a rich market. But set your whole heart on a single aim: two wishes cannot ride side by side.
The poem
求名從此是亨衢
Seeking fame, you are on the open highway;
求利剛逢是利區
seeking profit, you have come to a rich market.
但許一心求一事
But set your whole heart on a single aim:
不容兩念並馳驅
two wishes cannot ride side by side.
| Lot | Hexagram |
|---|---|
| No. 17 第十七首 | Zhong Fu 中孚 (Inner Truth) |
Text notes: line 2: the base text reads 求利逢剛是利區; line 4: the base text reads 不容兩念是馳驅.
Beyond the poem: your own chart Cast a free BaZi chart →
Reminders by topic (written by us)
| Topic | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Career & exams | The path is open, so focus on preparing for just one goal 路子已經打開，專心準備一項就好 |
| Business | Stick to your core business and deal fairly 專注本業，公道經營 |
| Pregnancy | For pregnancy and childbirth, please follow your doctor's advice and prenatal checkups 懷孕生產請遵從醫師與產檢 |
| Marriage | Be single-minded, and if this one does not fit, look again 心意要專一，這段若不合適再另尋 |
| Travel | Errands close to home bring better results 在近處辦事較有收穫 |
| Household | A family with shared goals has a thriving household 一家人目標一致，門風興旺 |
| Seeking wealth | The way to money is clear, so focus on one source 財路明朗，專心經營一處 |
| Luck of the times | Luck is steady, and focus brings results 運勢平穩，專注就有成果 |
| Lost items | It is not off to either side, so look toward the middle 不在左右兩邊，往中間位置找 |
| Farming & livestock | There is surplus this year, so keep tending step by step 今年收成有餘，按部就班照料 |
| Lawsuits | If you are in the right, state it well and your grievance will be heard 有理就好好陳述，委屈會被看見 |
These short reminders are written by us from the poem and its hexagram; they are not the readings printed on the temple's slip, so for a real reading go by the temple where you drew the lot. The temple's list also has an "illness" topic, which we leave out, and the pregnancy topic is always a reminder to follow your doctor. If you feel unwell, please see a doctor.
What it means
The roads to fame and profit are both open. But pursue one thing with your whole heart; you cannot chase two at once.
Reminder: Focusing on one goal works better than casting a wide net.
This is a plain reading of the words. How it applies to your own question is best settled with the interpreter at the temple where you drew it.
How to draw a lot
- Light incense and tell Mazu your name, birth date and address, then state clearly the one matter you are asking about.
- Cast the moon blocks (jiaobei, two crescent-shaped wooden blocks) to ask whether you may draw. One face up and one face down means yes; then pull one stick from the cylinder.
- Cast the blocks again to confirm that this is your stick. Many temples ask for three yeses in a row; if not, put it back and draw again.
- Collect the poem with the matching number. Read the whole poem, then find the topic below that fits your question. If it is unclear, ask the temple's interpreter.
Ask about one thing at a time; the more specific the question, the easier the poem is to apply.
Common misunderstandings
A gloomy poem means the matter is doomed.
Most poems are reminders and directions. The same poem means different things for different questions, so look at the topic that matches yours.
You can keep drawing on the same question until you get a good poem.
By custom you ask once per matter. If you are still unsure, ask the temple's interpreter, or wait a while and ask again.
Previous: No. 16; next: No. 18.
A straight word: fortune poems are a matter of faith, and the meanings here are ours
The Chinese text and hexagram names follow a widely circulated edition, checked line by line against three other versions; we only corrected obvious copying errors, and every page shows the base text's original wording wherever we changed it. The topic reminders, English translations and plain-English meanings are our own reading of the words and the hexagram, not the temple's readings or official interpretation. For a real reading, ask at the temple where you drew the lot. For legal, medical or financial questions, see a professional, and if you feel unwell, see a doctor. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment.
Beyond the poem: your own chart
Enter your birth date to cast a free BaZi Four Pillars chart and see your Five Elements and Ten Gods.
Mazu fortune stick No. 17: questions
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 17 say?
「求名從此是亨衢，求利剛逢是利區，但許一心求一事，不容兩念並馳驅」 In English: Seeking fame, you are on the open highway; seeking profit, you have come to a rich market. But set your whole heart on a single aim: two wishes cannot ride side by side. It is paired with the Zhong Fu hexagram.
What does Mazu fortune stick No. 17 mean?
The roads to fame and profit are both open. But pursue one thing with your whole heart; you cannot chase two at once. Reminder: Focusing on one goal works better than casting a wide net.